Gecelca power station — Colombia

Gecelca power station is a 164 MW coal power station in Cordoba, Colombia. It is operated by Gecelca SAESP. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 205k homes (estimated). It ranks #33 of 44 Colombia power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2016, it is around 10 years old — relatively modern. In context, coal supplies about 6.1% of Colombia's electricity; the national grid averages 187 gCO₂/kWh (77.0% low-carbon) (2025).

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id WRI1075561.

Capacity provenance

The public capacity above is the current source-record value. A 2026 tracker candidate lists 434 MW for Gecelca 3 power station, but it is not used as the public primary value until scope is verified (unit vs operating vs installed/project total).

Data provenance

Source of the capacity and fuel values:

capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100000101767; fuel: WRI GPPD

In context: how this plant compares

At 164 MW, Gecelca power station is below the median coal plant in Colombia (335 MW). Technically it is described as subcritical. Coal plants burn pulverised coal to raise high-pressure steam for a turbine; they run as baseload but are the most carbon-intensive mainstream source and the first targeted for retirement or efficiency retrofits.

Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.

Key facts

Share of Colombia coal capacity

4.6% of 3,578 MW across 9 plants in this dataset

Age among peers

4 of 7 dated coal plants in Colombia are older

Calculated from the capacity and generation records in this dataset (WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0)).

Capacity vs largest coal plants in Colombia

Installed capacity (MW), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).

Owner

Operated by Gecelca SAESP.

Local climate & thermal context

This coal plant burns coal to raise high-pressure steam that spins a turbine-generator. It sits in a tropical monsoon climate (Köppen Am) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 8.0°N — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.

Monthly mean temperature

This site has effectively no heating season (tropical/equatorial climate), so winter heat loss is not the driver here. The thermal concern shifts to year-round process heat and humidity/heat-driven corrosion of hot equipment.

Climate normals: WorldClim 2.1 (1970–2000 monthly normals, 10 arc-min, CC BY 4.0); zone: Köppen-Geiger world climate classification (Kottek et al. 2006, 0.5° grid). Degree-days & heat-demand index computed by PowerAtlas — a modelled heat-demand proxy, not a measured site figure.

Site climate & environmental severity

This site sits in a moderately corrosive environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C3 — Medium), with humidity / wetness the leading environmental stress.

Indicative estimate via the ISO 9223:2012 informative method (atmospheric corrosivity from temperature, time-of-wetness and airborne salinity), using WorldClim climate normals, the Köppen-Geiger class and coast distance. Indicative, not a measured corrosion rate.

How it compares & nearby plants

The #9 largest coal power plant of 9 in Colombia by capacity.

Colombia has 9 coal power plants in this dataset, together about 3,578 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• Termobijao power station · Coal · 460 MW · Córdoba
• El Tesorito power station · Gas · 209 MW · Córdoba
• Los Llanos power station · Gas · 700 MW · Antioquia
• Calderas · Hydro · 26 MW · Antioquia
• Porce III · Hydro · 660 MW · Antioquia
• Central Guadalupe III · Hydro · 270 MW · Antioquia

Location

Coordinates 7.9911, -75.5946 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions